September 20, 2011 | Tom Suddes
Really good insights from John Maxwell, leadership expert speaker and author. This is from his column in October Success Magazine.
It caught my attention right away that Maxwell referenced the seed of this particular lesson came from the former President of Coca-Cola, Don Keough. Don Keough is a big-time Notre Dame Champion, an investor, as well as involved and committed to projects in Ireland.
The 8 ‘rules and attitudes’ to follow if you want to ‘lose in business’ or in your For Impact organization or in your life are as follows:
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1. Quit taking risks.
2. Relay totally on experts and research to make decisions for you.
3. Always ask yourself, “What would the founder have done?”
4. Concentrate on your competitor instead of your customer.
5. Administrative concerns take precedence over all others.
6. Be inflexible.
7. Look to someone else to do your thinking for you.
8. Memorize the motto, “That’s good enough.”
Here’s the full column from Success.
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September 20, 2011 | Tom Suddes
Great article in Success Magazine, October Issue, called Business with Heart.
What particularly resonated with me was a segment entitled ‘A New Business Model’: Are you seeking to make your business the Best in the World or Best FOR the World?
Good stuff in here for Social Entrepreneurs and For Impact Leaders as you build your own Business Models and as you meet with businesses that are looking beyond the ‘bottom line’.
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September 19, 2011 | Tom Suddes
The 3 parts of TOTAL CONFIDENCE:
- 1. Confidence in Self.
2. Confidence in your Team. (Company, Family, Organization)
3. Confidence in a Higher Purpose.
This comes from Tim Sanders, a leadership consultant to Fortune 500 companies and former Chief Solutions Officer for Yahoo.
His new book is Today We Are Rich.
Sanders says, “The key is to generate total confidence through purposeful daily applications of core values.”
Much like Napoleon Hill’s classic Think & Grow Rich, Sander’s book presents a completely different meaning of the word rich. It’s not about the size of your bank account or large cash reserves or houses or cars. Sanders says, “There are profoundly wealthy people who are unhappy… and extremely poor people who have happy lives.”
He adds a quote from the philosopher Andre Gide, “Complete possession is proved only by giving. All you are unable to give possesses you.”
Think about this last quote as you are meeting with prospective investors who want to move from Success to Significance.
Also, think of the whole idea of TOTAL CONFIDENCE as you Present Your Opportunity.
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September 19, 2011 | Tom Suddes
Over the last 15 years, I have been encouraging people to celebrate/enjoy not just their birthday but their birth date.
Mine is today, the 19th (March 19 Birth Date)
To celebrate today, I’m in Dublin, Ireland with a great group of For Impact Leaders and Social Entrepreneurs! I get to visit the Ryan Academy at Dublin City University. I’ll walk around St. Stephen’s Green. And, I’ll probably have some crepes at Savannah’s place.
*As always, I will write in my journal on the 19th… a combination of reflection on the last 30 days and goals for the next 30. (At 30,000′ over the Atlantic!)
Note: Since I am a landowner in Ireland, I get to check out my property.
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September 13, 2011 | Tom Suddes
Nick and I are doing some work with Craig Hospital in Denver… an absolutely amazing place, filled with world-class talent and pioneering/innovative programs.
I loved this recent quote from one of their superstars: “When you can get them here, it is very engaging!”
In their case, the power of the ‘TOUR’ is beyond description.
Three things to think about as you bring prospective investors/prospects to show off your impact and value (typically called a ‘tour‘).
- 1. TOUR as PREDISPOSITION.
- Without question, the best predisposition in the world is giving someone an opportunity to see and touch (and even ‘smell‘) what you do.
- 2. TOUR as PRESENTATION.
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The best way to leverage the tour and take advantage of the emotional connection is to actually end the tour in a designated place in order to PRESENT THE OPPORTUNITY!
- 3. TOUR FLOW.
- This is the deliberate and conscious effort to plan the flow of the tour… who delivers it, who you meet along the way, what you see, how you to show your impact, etc.
***Quick Story. During a recent Craig tour, the tour ‘guide’ and the prospect were waiting for an elevator. When it opened, out stepped a Craig patient and his parents, who were being discharged that day. All three of them proceeded to talk about the amazing CRAIG EXPERIENCE, how thankful they were, etc.
The prospect probably thought it was planned. It wasn’t. It should have/could have been.
Big Lesson: None of this kind of connection can happen if in your ‘office’ or in their ‘office’.
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September 2, 2011 | Tom Suddes
I wanted to share a really powerful (and short) video that reinforces my points earlier this week around Change Your Vocabulary and Strategic Vocabulary.
Full Disclosure. I am ‘newbie’ when it comes to all this online video stuff. Been a ‘reader’ my entire life. However, I’m absolutely amazed at the power of video, and the technology that allows us to watch these kinds of snippets or Ted 18 Minutes.
This Power of Words come from my friend, my trainer and Chief Experience Officer at Eagle Creek, Steve Wolfie Wolf. You may have already seen it, but it’s definitely worth a re-watch.
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September 1, 2011 | Tom Suddes
“In times like these, it helps to recall that there have always been times like these.” -Paul Harvey
American broadcaster Paul Harvey was ‘on the air’ for more than 50 years. He was a master of the one-liner.
This is a great quote for all those sitting around in their offices bitchin’ and moanin’ about everything from the economy to Hurricane Irene.
As Stuart McLaughlin Chief Visionary of Business to Arts said yesterday, “Nothing gets done ‘in the office’.”
Well said.
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August 30, 2011 | Tom Suddes
Creating A Strategic Vocabulary
I’ve mentioned this book before, MAVERICKS AT WORK. Bill Taylor and Polly LaBarre have super strong Fast Company roots. One of my 3 favorite magazines.
They have a wonderful segment in the book about:
What you think shapes how you talk – creating a strategic vocabulary.
If you’ve been exposed to more than 30 seconds to the For Impact thinking, you know how much this resonates with Nick, Kerry, our coaches and me. CHANGE YOUR VOCABULARY has always been one of our most powerful Guiding Principles.
Here is some great reinforcement to why that is so important, via nuggets from Mavericks at Work.
- Maverick entrepreneurs don’t sound like traditional executives. They almost always describe their strategies and practices – the ideas that animate their companies – in ways that sound unique, authentic and even a bit strange.
- One sign that a company (organization) is pursuing a truly original, competitive strategy is that it has created its own vocabulary. Not buzz words, acronyms and other verbal detritus of business-as-usual… but an authentically homegrown language that captures how a company (organization) competes, how its people work, why it expects to succeed, and what it means to win. (WOW.)
- Finally, because they think about their business differently, maverick organizations almost always talk about their business differently.
The next 10 pages go on to talk about “disruptive business strategies”, “disruptive ideas”, “distinctive cultures” and “purpose-based strategy” (I love that).
It also highlights some really cool companies that believe firmly in the power of language and symbols.
I thought I’d close with this great quote from a senior advertising executive in a remarkably innovative and successful company.
When asked this question: Why invest so much energy in building a vocabulary, as opposed to just, say, building factories and laboratories for clients? “Because the heart of every great company is a clear sense of purpose.”
Nuff said.
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August 30, 2011 | Nick Fellers
We’ve done a lot of work with Hospice organizations. Pretty emotional/moving stuff.
As you know, our approach starts with the IMPACT… the MESSAGE. Every Hospice asks, “How do we possibly communicate everything we do in one message? People get confused when we talk about palliative care… we want people to know it’s about more than dying… etc. etc. etc.”
Every Hospice organization needs a message… but here’s where it gets interesting. Remember – the best message… the best story… is the one that comes FROM the prospect. In the case of Hospice we should never be out convincing people that Hospice is a worthy cause. We should ONLY focus on those that have had a ‘hospice experience’. Then, instead of trying to jam a message down their throat we need to: engage, listen and ask.
Example:
- “Would you mind sharing with me a little bit about your experience with Hospice?”
- Be quiet… listen… probably exchange and share a few tears.
- Keep listening.
- Keep listening.
- Ask: “I’m out listening to people. That’s our job…. to connect the stories and let people know that generous support is what makes that extra TLC you described possible. Would you be willing to help other patients and families benefit from that same experience?”
Is there is a ‘Hospice Question’ for your organization? The Hospice Question is about engaging someone that already gets it…. letting their experience or frame speak for the purpose and funding rationale. It’s about getting out of the way. It’s about saying in the SIMPLEST WAY, “That’s what we do… can you help?”
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August 25, 2011 | Tom Suddes
Here’s an exciting, interesting, simple way to look at your VISION and PLAN… VISION 2020.
- VISION 2020 is about where you and your organization will be 9+ years from today!
- Pretty obvious symbolism of ’20/20 VISION’ (the best!).
- This is approximately 3 1,000-DAY INCREMENTS.
- Allows you to then talk about the first 1,000-DAY PLAN.
*This 1,000-Day Plan, by the way, is 33 MONTHS. 11 3-Month (A Quarter) Blocks.
Just wanted to share this interesting frame with our For Impact world.
Special Note: What is your personal VISION 2020?! Where do you want to be in the next 3,000 days? 1,000 days? 100 days?
Everything I have ever read or done around Personal Development (Goals, Self-Fulfilling Prophecy, Write It Down It Will Happen, Symbolism, Math, etc.) can actually be used for both Personal Development and Organizational Development.
For what it’s worth.
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About For Impact
We help "nonprofits" fund their visions through training, coaching and consulting based on 25+ years of experience and $1Billion+ raised directly and $1Billion via coaching/training. For Impact is also our message, our commitment and a movement.
